Means for controlling concavoconvex rules



Dec. 12, H ND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING CONCAVO-CONVEX RULES Filed Dec. 31, 1929 Patented Dec. 12, 1933 PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING CONCAVO- CONVEX RULES Hiram Farrand, Berlin, N. H., assignor to Hiram A. Far-rand, Inc., Berlin, poration of New Hampshire N. H., a cor- Application December 31, 1929 Serial No. 417,724

7 Claims. (01. 33138) This application constitutes, in part, a continuation of my prior application which resulted in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,730,199, dated October 1, 1929, and relates to means for controlling a concavo-convex rule, for the purpose of winding the ruleinto an externally wound coil, and for permitting the rule to unwind from such coiled state into a rod-like form under its own inheren tendency to assume a rectilinear state.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide controlling means which will impinge upon the flat sides of the coil, which are disposed perpendicular to the axis of the coil, whereby the coil will be held against rotation.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. llis a face view of one form of the device made in accordance with the principles of my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a back view of the device shown in Fig. 1; a

Fig. 3 is an edge view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a'sectional view taken on the line Fig. 6 is a side view of a modified form of invention; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7, Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the preferred form of the device comprises an outer cylindrical casing 1, having one end closed by'a plate or head'2, the opposite end of the cylindrical casing 1 being open.

Rotatably mounted within the outer cylindrical casing 1 is a cylindrical drum or reel 5 which has a circular wall 6 disposed concentric with the circular wall 3 of the outer cylindrical casing 1.

Oneend of the cylindrical drum 5 is closed by a plate or head 7 which is disposed adjacent and. substantially parallel to the head 2 of the outer casing 1.

The reel 5 is rotatably mounted within, and in axial alignment with, the outer casing 1, and for this purpose the head 7 of the reel 5 is apertured'at its center to receive, and to rotate upon, a pivot element 8 which is secured to the head 2 of the outer casing 1 by means of a rivet or similar securing element 9, a flange 10 being provided at the outer end of the pivot element 8 which is so spaced from the head 2 of the outer casing 1 as to provide foraxial movement of the drum 5 relative to the outer casing 1.

55 The flange 10, in the present instance, conthe sists of a washer or circular plate, having a diameter greater than that of the circular pivot e1ement8, and is held rigidly between the outer end of the pivot element 8 and a head 11 formed on one end of the rivet 9.

On the open end'of the drum 5 is a flange 12 which extends radially outward from the circular wall 6 and in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the end wall 2 of the outer casing 1. The flange 12 of the reel or drum 5 substantially closes the otherwise'open end of the outer casing 1.

An annular rule-receiving chamber 15 is formed between the circular wall 3 of the outer casing 1, the circular wall 6 of the drum 5, the end wall 2 of the outer casing 1, and the radiating flange 12 on the drum 5.

'The circular wall 6 of the drum 5, which forms a foundation structure upon which the rule strip is wound, is apertured as indicated at 16 in the present instance and the inner end of the concavo-convex rule strip :1: passes through this opening and is secured to the circular foundation wall 6 by any suitable means, such as a rivet 17 (see Fig. 5).

The circular wall 3 of the outer casing 1 is slotted,-as indicated at 18, to permit the rule strip a: to pass in and out of the rule chamber 15.

It will be understood that a concavo-convex rule strip is one that is bent transversely from the usual fiat tape form; and that this transverse shaping of the strip produces in the strip an inherent tendency to assume a rectilinear state at all times; and that when a predetermined force is applied to the rule strip longitudinally thereof, the rule strip will yield to such force and bend longitudinally; and that at the place Where the longitudinal bend occurs the rule strip will be converted from its concavoconvex cross-sectional form to a flat cross-sectional form; and that when the rule strip is formed into an externally wound coil as shown in Fig. 4 the inherent tendency of the rule to reassume a rectilinear state will cause therule to project itself from the casing in which it is confined, consequently rotating the drum on which the coil is wound, unless some means is provided to arrest such action.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the clamping action is accomplished between the parallel walls 2 and 12 of the rule chamber 15, the reel or drum 5, on which the wall 12 is formed, being adapted for axial movement relative to the casing 1 "of which the wall 2 forms a part.

For the purpose of controlling the axial movement of the drum 5 and consequently the lateral clamping movement of the wall 12 relative to the wall 2 of the outer casing 1, I provide "a resilient member 20 which comprises a flat bow spring member 21 which extends radially across the back of the casing 1 and is secured thereto by a head 22 formed on the end of the rivet 9 opposite to that occupied by the head 11 thereof.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the spring element 21 engages the plate 2 of the casing 1 at the center thereof and flares outwardly from the plate 2, at, and beyond, the circular wall 3 of the casing 1.

The opposite ends. of the bow spring member 21 are turned inwardly, forming arms 23, 23 which extend forwardly over the circular wall 3 of the casing 1. These arms 23 are disposed at angles relative to the said circular wall 3, and provide finger grips 23 by which the device may beheld in the hand and operated. 1

The outer end of each of the finger grip arms 23 is bent radially inward in front of the flange or wall 12 of the drum.5,,as indicated at 24, and these radially disposed portions 24, 24 are then turned inwardly toward the flange or wall 12, as indicated at 25, which lie within and are adapted to engage the inner surface of a circular outwardly projecting flange 26 which is formed on and at the periphery of the flange or wall 12 of the drum 5.. 1

Obviously when the finger grips 23, 23 are squeezed toward the circular wall 3 of the casing 1, the bow 21 will be straightened tosome extent and the finger grips 23, 23 will assume positions substantially parallel to the, circular wall 3. This movement of the finger grips-will cause the inturned ends 24 of the controlling element 20 to move radially inward with respect to the axis of rotation of the drum 5, this feature being covered by a companion application, Serial No. 417 ,725, filed on even date herewith, and laterally with respect to the front edge 2'7 of the flange 26 of the drum 5, the lips 25 of the controlling element 20 being thereby released from the flange 26 and the portions 24 of the controlling element 20, due to their lateral movement relative to the front edge 27 of the flange 26 permitting the drum 5 to move axially with respect to the casing 1 which relieves the pressure of the wall 12 of the drum from the flat side 3 of the coil :2 the opposite flat side :8 of'the coil automatically releasing itself from the wall 2 of the casing 1.

Upon releasing the coil in the manner above described, the rule a: will, of its own inherency, project itself from and through the opening 13 in the casing 1, the drum 5 freely rotating about the pivot 8.

When the desired amount of the rule has been projected, reduction of the pressure on the finger grips 23, 23 will permit the elements to reassume their positions as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the wall 12 impinging upon the flat side .r of the coil x and the wall 2 of the casing 1 impinging upon theopposite flat side r of the coil x whereby the coil is clamped within the chamber 15 between the two end walls 12 and 2 of the said chamber.

In order to prevent relative rotation between the controlling element 20 and the outer casing l, the end wall 2 of the said casing is provided with lugs 30, 30 which extend from the casing 1 and respectively engage the opposite longitudinal edges 'of the bow 21. In the present instance, these lugs 30 are struck up from the plate 2, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

' In Figs. 6 and 7, I have shown a form of the invention, which was originally disclosed in the application which issued as the U. S. Letters Patent above mentioned. In the form of the invention the rule strip a: is wound upon an inner foundation structure or ring 35 which in the present instance is formed by bending one end of the rule strip into a circular form and securing the extreme end of the strip to the body of the strip by a rivet 36. Obviously an independent foundation ring corresponding to the circular wall 6 of the drum 5 may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7, a clamping device is used which conists of a coiled spring 40 disposed within the center of the coil 9: The spring 40 has a pair of arms 41 and 42 respectively which extend outwardly from the coiled spring 4-0 and around one side ofthe coil :0 the said arms 41 and 42 crossing each other beyond the coil and terminating in finger grips 43, 43. As shown in Fig. '7, the arms 41 and 42 impinge upon the sharp corners at the oppositely disposed flat sides :0 and as of the coil 0: thereby clamping the coil tightly therebetween to prevent the rule strip from extending itself from the coil x Obviously, when the finger grips 43, 43 are squeezed togetherthe arms 41 and 42. will be released from the coil and the rule will be free to run out of the coil.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive the rule strip a: is rewound into the externally wound coil x by means of a crank 50 secured to the drum 5 and adapted to rotate the drum 5 while the controlling element 20 is held in a coil-releasing position.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the rule strip is rewound by grasping the rule strip at a point removed from the coil and,

while the finger grips 43, 43 are being squeezed, moving the rule strip longitudinally inward toward the coil, and releasing the pressure on the finger grips before the grasp on the rule strip is released.

I claim:

1. The combination with a concave-convex rule strip movable rapidly under a spring-impelling force in a longitudinal direction and with respect to an externally wound flat sided coil formed by the strip and rotated by said springimpelling force, a foundation member rotatable with and upon which the coil is formed, a pair of impinging elements at the opposite sides of the coilrespectively, and manually controlled springactuating means arranged to move said impinging elements axially of the coil and relative to each other into braking contact with the opposite flat sides of the coil respectively to stop rotation of the coil and longitudinal movement of the strip immediately upon release of manual restraint from the said spring-actuating means.

2. The combination with a concave-convex rule having an inherent tendency to assume a rectilinear state, of a drum having a circular wall upon which the rule is formed into an externally wound coil, a flange on and rotatable with the drum at the side of the coil, a plate located at the opposite side of the coil, means for rotatably supporting the drum relative to the plate, means for rotating the drum to wind the rule, and means for moving one of said relatively rotatable elements axially with respect to the other of said elements, whereby the coil will be clamped between the flange and the plate and maintained in a coiled state against its inherent tendency to straighten out.

3. A device, for controlling a concavo-convex rule, comprising a drum having a circular wall upon which the rule is formed into an externally wound coil, a flange on the drum at the side of the coil, a plate located at the opposite side of the coil, means for rotatably supporting the drum relative to the plate, means for moving one of said relatively rotatable elements axially with respect to the other of said elements, whereby the coil will be clamped between the flange and the plate, and a circular wall on said plate extending over said coil to form a casing therefor, the last said circular wall being provided with an opening through which the rule is adapted to be projected.

4. A device, for controlling, a concavo-convex rule, comprising an outer casing, a' plate closing one end of the casing, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing, a flange on said drum substantially closing the opposite end of said casing, said rule being adapted to be formed into an externally wound coil on said drum between the flange thereon and the said end plate of the outer casing, and means for axially moving said drum relative to said outer casing to clamp the coil between the said flange and said end plate.

5. A device, for controlling'a concavo-convex rule, comprising an outer casing, a plate closing one end of the casing, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing, a flange on said drum substantially closing the opposite end of said casing, said rule being adapted to be formed into an externally wound coil on said drum between the flange thereon and the said end plate of the outer casing, and resilient means urging said drum toward said end plate, whereby the coil is clamped between the end plate and the flange.

6. A device, for controlling a concavo-convex rule, comprising an outer casing, a plate closing one end of the casing, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing, a flange on said drum substantially closing the opposite end of said casing, said rule being adapted to be formed into an externally wound coil on said drum between the flange thereon and the said end plate of the outer casing, a bow spring extending radially across the back of said end plate, arms formed in the respective ends of said bow spring and projecting forwardly across the outer casing, and means on the ends of said arms adapted to engage and move the drum axially toward said end plate to clamp the coil between said end plate and the flange on said drum.

7. A device, for controlling a concavo-convex rule, comprising an outer casing, a plate closing one end of the casing, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing, a flange on said drum substantially closing the opposite end of said casing, said rule being adapted to be formed into an externally wound coil on said drum between the flange thereon and the said end plate of the outer casing, a bow spring extending radially across the back of said end plate, arms formed in the respective ends of said bow spring and projecting forwardly across the outer casing, means on the ends of said arms adapted to engage and move the drum axially toward said end plate to clamp the coil between said end plate and the flange on said drum, and means for preventing relative rotation between the bow spring and the outer casing.

' HIRAM A. FARRAND. 

